If your achy back is aching more when it's cold or rainy, it isn't because of the weather, or humidity or air pressure or temperature. New findings published in Arthritis Care and Research, the journal of the American College of Rheumatology, say there is little chance that back pain gets worse because of weather or wind or any weather-related change.
"Many patients believe that weather impacts their pain symptoms," explains Dr. Daniel Steffens with the George Institute for Global Health at the University of Sydney, Australia.
"However, there are few robust studies investigating weather and pain, specifically research that does not rely on patient recall of the weather," he states in a press release on the study.
The World Health Organization states nearly everyone experiences low back pain at some point in their life, making it the most common musculoskeletal condition and one that affects up to 33 percent of the world's population.
"Those with musculoskeletal (bone, muscle, ligament, tendon, and nerve) pain report that their symptoms are influenced by the weather. Previous studies have shown that cold or humid weather, and changes in the weather, increase symptoms in patients with chronic pain conditions," states the release on the report.
But yet the most recent research is proving otherwise. The study involved 993 patients between October 2011 and November 2012 and included tracking weather patterns along with patient reports on back issues.
Results showed no association between back pain and temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind direction or precipitation, states the release.
"Our findings refute previously held beliefs that certain common weather conditions increase risk of lower back pain," concludes Steffens. "Further investigation of the influence of weather parameters on symptoms associated with specific diseases such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis are needed."
There is a chance that the risk of low back pain slightly increases with higher wind speed or wind gusts, but researchers found it wasn' clinically significant.
As Tech Times reported back in late March, a study revealed lower back pain is the second most usual neurological condition in the U.S.
"Low back pain is something that almost all people experience at some point in their lives. It is something common across sexes, age groups, countries, socioeconomic groups, education levels and occupation," said Damian Hoy, a senior research fellow at the School of Population Health at the University of Queensland, Australia. Hoy's study revealed lower back pain as the primary cause for years lost due to disability.
